The vast majority of kosher restaurants are inside the borders of a densely populated Jewish area. Then there are a few that are in some places where many kosher keeping people work. But today’s column focuses on a rare restaurant that isn’t in either of those places.
Becca is situated in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. If you’re unfamiliar, you aren’t alone. But as the name may indicate to you, the location overlooks the Manhattan skyline.
So that explains why Becca is in Cliffside Park; let’s explain why you should be in Becca.
A lot of thought went into Becca and the management team isn’t done yet. There’s already a main dining room and a private room that can be used for events. But an enclosed patio that overlooks the city is currently in the works and will be a big feature in the future.
Table shared Mediterranean platter
The full bar, chic look, fun vibe and interesting menus have already made Becca a destination since it opened last year. Add the views of the city and they’ll be overrun with guests.
When I was invited to Becca, I did the only sensible thing… I ordered the Table Shared Mediterranean Platter. Is the platter large? Yes. Maybe even too large if you’re only a party of two. But hear me out… a bunch of the stuff on here were things I wanted to order anyway. For instance, there’s no way I’d walk out of this kind of place without trying their hummus. Of all the types, the Chicken Shawarma appealed to me the most, and it just so happens to come on the platter. Also included, samples of the Green Falafel, Jerusalem Kababonim and the Short Rib Cigars. Oh, and don’t forget the house Frena bread that comes with the hummus.
Spicy lamb merguez flat bread
Don’t get me wrong, the cigars are really good, the kebabs are juicy and delicious and the falafel is still better than both of those and goes really nicely with the green tahini that comes on the board. But if you take the grilled onion, the roasted tomato wedge and the pile of sumac onions and just throw them into the dish with the hummus (already adorned with chicken shawarma, chickpeas, green schug and extra virgin olive oil), you’ll get a mixture of flavors that is just magic to dip that frena in. It may seem like a lot to have hummus with a mixture of seven toppings, but that frena is huge. It’s kind of like a pita, but bigger and flavored with rosemary oil and sea salt. So, get that magic mixture together and get to dipping.
If there’s another appetizer worth sharing, it’s the Spicy Lamb Merguez Flat Bread. Becca is outfitted with a state of the art electric taboon oven. That means that they can pump out flat breads with the best of them. You probably can’t go wrong with one of the other versions, but the most popular item on the whole menu is this one for a reason. Basically, there’s a full layer of lamb sausage laid down on the crust. Top that with carmelized onions, roasted red peppers, sumac onions, tahini and amba? That’s something that you’ll remember eating for a while. The tahini brings a creamy element to counter the spice, the amba provides a great kick at the end of each bite, but the merguez remains the true star of the show. The fattiness of the lamb really works with the peppers and onions and the richness of the flavors makes this a can’t miss item.
That being said, my favorite thing on the entire menu is the Risotto Pulled Duck Confit. I might not quite understand why this is an app when I would totally be willing to eat it as my main, but that really doesn’t matter that much. In a traditional dairy risotto, the goal is creaminess. Obviously, this is a fleish restaurant so you can either try to go creamy using whatever imitation dairy you’d like, or go in a different direction. This version does the latter. It’s probably the best example I’ve tasted of the risotto going in a distinctively meaty direction instead of a creamy/dairy direction. There’s peas, carrots, onions, scallions, parsley and chili crunch mixed in there too. But the duck jus, duck confit and little pieces of fried duck skin really bring the rich duck flavor to the forefront of this risotto. If you like duck as much as I do, you’ll love this risotto.
Chicken under the brick
Moving on from something I might eat as a main if given the choice to things that are actually listed on the menu as mains, an underrated choice is the Chicken Under the Brick. I know that Becca is a steakhouse (and believe me, we will get to the steak), but not everybody is always in the mood for steak. If you’re curious, that title is literal. This is half a chicken, “airlined” (that’s deboned other than the drumette), spatchcocked and then literally flattened by a brick. The brick heats up in the oven and causes the skin to crisp really nicely while also yielding some savory jus that they use on the mudjadara (lentils and rice) that it is served with. This is kinda like the best rotisserie chicken you’ve ever had with a slight middle eastern flair. The rice and lentils absorb just enough of the jus to really become one with the chicken on the plate and the inside of the chicken is juicy, whether it’s white or dark you’ve got on your fork.
16-oz. dry aged ribeye with hand cut fries.
Lastly, I had a tasty 16oz Dry Aged Ribeye. There’s just nothing like a good dry aged steak and Becca has that if you want it. Ribeye is classic and you can taste the dry age process and the time it takes to make the meat get that extra flavor. It comes with your choice of a salad or fries and I’d encourage you to order the fries because just like pretty much everything at Becca, the fries are made in-house and are perfect skin-on steak fries to go with that steak you’re eating. Steak and fries are a great pairing for a reason and Becca will make sure that you know what that reason is.
Becca’s frena
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the dessert that everyone is talking about. The Pesek Zman Tribute is a one of a kind experience. It’s a gourmet tribute to the most popular candy bar in Israel. It’s essentially a house-made candy bar. A mixture of chocolate, crunch, hazelnut mousse, praline and magic; you can eat this with a knife and fork in a nice restaurant like you’re a character right out of Seinfeld.
So, whether it’s the vibes, the location or the food itself, Becca is a destination for any number of occasions. Maybe it’s a special night like an anniversary. Maybe it’s a simcha like sheva brachot. Or maybe it’s a Tuesday.
Pezek Zman tribute.
For all of those – and whenever else – make your way to Becca.
Becca
Meat – Mediterranean Steakhouse – Waiter Service
Sunday: 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Monday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
(973)-221-5553
BeccaNJ.com
700-B Palisadium Drive
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
RCBC (Rabbinical Council of Bergen County)
Nati Burnside is a freelance writer living in Fair Lawn and a man of many interests. He can be reached at [email protected].